To everything, there's a season
Chong Yen LongPublished: Feb 28, 2001 2:13 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The period running up to Nov 29, 1999 was the "silly season" as it was general elections time when large sections of Malaysians and several institutions behaved abnormally, especially the media and the politicians.
The first 100 days following the formation of the new governments, at federal and state levels, is generally the "honeymoon" period when the new cabinet ministers and mentri besar or chief minister are given some leeway in making some stumbles as they settle into their new found positions of power. Some mistakes can be forgiven even, if they are prepared to eat humble pie.
But some are "veteran" ministers, having been around for so long that they should not be given such forbearance even in this grace period, as more and more Malaysians, being more educated and better informed, don't suffer such fools gladly.
Indeed, some politicians are so thick-skinned that they are best ignored or treated like court jesters, like the one who ordered us to "shut up" when queried on the need for another bridge from Penang island to the mainland. His contention is that the project is a federal government project to be funded by an overseas loan, not from public funds. I wonder who is the Santa Claus who is paying back the loan cum interest?
During the silly season, all parties and candidates made all sorts of promises, including offers of high heavens and solid land (which we all can accept in good faith). But threats were also made, unfailingly like from some old record pulled off the shelf every four or five years for the past three decades.
Some threats are subtle and veiled, others are stark and naked. Some print advertisements harking back to the dark event of May 13, 1969 with "violent" pictures and professionally scripted texts incorporated for impact, created an instantaneous atmosphere of "fear". I believe many of us reacted with a sense of revulsion, I think these advertisements tested the law relating to sedition or incitement to disturb the peace, but the lawkeepers have kept a blind eye.
Effective in the short term to garner votes, I believe, but in the longer term, what gives? What did these creative copy-writers and their sponsors (who must have very deep pockets!) expect to achieve? I wonder if they can still sleep peacefully at night; I pray these "violent" scenes come back to haunt them and their young ones.
Many Chinese voters did succumb, as previously traditionally opposition-inclined swung their support to the Barisan Nasional. These temporary converts' rationale was that "It's better to deal with the devil you know (Umno) than the devil you don't (PAS)!"
The new multi-racial opposition coalition's sales pitch of asking for a chance; to govern, that if they don't deliver, the voters later could throw them out in the first general elections of the new millennium, did not really work. However, I believe Malaysian politics has taken its first step for that quantum leap towards politics that transcends the racial divide. This augurs well for the country's future and can only help in nation building and nurturing an infant democracy like ours.
After the election results, the initial euphoria arising from victory saw the BN celebrating at the national level, minus Kelantan and Terengganu where the PAS-led Barisan Alternatif celebrated on a smaller scale.
But Malaysian politicians, while enjoying the spoils of victory, have better learn that while some "punishment" could be meted out to the "enemy", there is a time and limit to everything. I believe magnanimity in victory is always a virtue.
Yes, the new Terengganu government run by PAS threw out some Umno village headmen previously appointed by Umno, and moved around some state agency personnel on political loyalty grounds. Maybe some federal agency employees on contract were terminated at year's end, which came just one month after the polls.
From what I have read, these "hostile" actions were limited and localised and took place at the early stage of PAS capturing the state from BN. (I stand corrected on this.)
Following that, common sense prevailed and both BA and BN leaders, including the PM, have called for recriminations to stop and that people must put aside their political differences to concentrate on the common task of nation building and economic development.
All well and good, cool heads seemed to have prevailed. The season of "conciliation" seemed to have budded. The stock marker soared; the country emerged from recession, and the "feel good" sentiments among the business community and people climbed. Bigger crowds did make a return to the shopping malls, restaurants and the teh tarik stalls
On March 8, the prime minister moved the nation another mental notch up the millennium scale by announcing his "Strategic Initiative One", the second step to the "Vision 2020" roadmap to make another quantum leap into the Information Age.
Addressing the "Second Global Knowledge Conference" in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir Mohamad said the K-economy master plan to be incorporated at the next budget would invite input from every Malaysian as it must belong to all Malaysians. This plan, which must be lauded by all Malaysians, regardless of their political affiliations, would stress investments in education, "brain gain" and supply of information.
This truly is positive and constructive, coming on the heels of a bruising general elections, and again prepares Malaysians for a borderless world, which would be highly competitive and driven by high technology and a knowledge-empowered workforce.
The PM also stated that the country should do away with the "hallowed sulit (secrecy) syndrome" and killing the "great information hoard" in companies, universities and civil service. Mahathir said: "The private and public sectors will need to operate according to new rules of transparency, new regulations for disclosure, new processes of corporate and public sector governance." (New Straits Times, March 9)
This is tearing away old bastions that government officials have used in the past to hide their inefficiencies, mismanagement and delinquencies (so well chronicled in the annual Auditor-General's report), and giving meaning to the basic tenet of an information age by making information freely available and government actions fully accountable.
"Strategic Initiative One" looks beautiful and ambitious in concept so far. I wait with bated breath come October for the detailed blue-print. Our nation seems to be moving in the right direction. Note that the PM has addressed his impending plan to "all" Malaysians. The "conciliation" season has blossomed further.
However, soon after, the advent of Umno party election descended on us with a bang. Ours must be a unique country where the spoils of a party election victory also translate into the rewards of the top two government posts, nothing less than the PM and DPM ships.
Things that have actually returned to near normalcy were suddenly kicked out of their equilibrium.
Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam started a rumble by terminating the services of panel doctors and lawyers aligned with the opposition, later expanding the hit list with surveyors, contractors and other professionals, and two banks. He wanted to break some individuals' rice-bowl too, calling on the two banks to sack some miscreant employees who dared to openly display opposition party badges, or more.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister got pulled in, and the rumble has now built itself into a thunder, and a whirlwind is beginning to form and may fan across the whole country, if the PM decides to follow through with his threat of emulating the Malacca CEO's example.
An impending by-election in Sanggang did not ameliorate the new climate of warring, which has already claimed its first victim - another state CEO, Pahang MB Adnan Yaakob, trapped by his now infamous "gestures".
Whether pro-BN or pro-BA, all Malaysians are subject to the same scale of income tax, and are equally entitled to government programmes and development funds and must never be subject to form of discrimination. May we remind our political masters, whether in Malacca or in Terengganu, that their reason for being is in the hands of the electorate.
A basic assumption of citizenship is that our loyalty to king and country cannot and must not be questioned by any party. So to the likes of Mohd Ali, I'm sure many fellow Malaysians will join me in chorus: "Cease and desist".
A malaysiakini reader has already coined the phrase, a "Rustamish" witch-hunt. It's not too late for this headline-hogging CM to reverse gear and the coiner, and I too, may be persuaded to be more kind in our penmanship.
State CEOs must not demean their positions with sideshows that detract from the nation building agenda. May the curtains come down quickly on these clownish, but destructive, acts.
"To everything, there's a season; A time to be born, a time to die; A time to kill, a time to heal; A time to tear down, a time to build up..."
The first 100 days following the formation of the new governments, at federal and state levels, is generally the "honeymoon" period when the new cabinet ministers and mentri besar or chief minister are given some leeway in making some stumbles as they settle into their new found positions of power. Some mistakes can be forgiven even, if they are prepared to eat humble pie.
But some are "veteran" ministers, having been around for so long that they should not be given such forbearance even in this grace period, as more and more Malaysians, being more educated and better informed, don't suffer such fools gladly.
Indeed, some politicians are so thick-skinned that they are best ignored or treated like court jesters, like the one who ordered us to "shut up" when queried on the need for another bridge from Penang island to the mainland. His contention is that the project is a federal government project to be funded by an overseas loan, not from public funds. I wonder who is the Santa Claus who is paying back the loan cum interest?
During the silly season, all parties and candidates made all sorts of promises, including offers of high heavens and solid land (which we all can accept in good faith). But threats were also made, unfailingly like from some old record pulled off the shelf every four or five years for the past three decades.
Some threats are subtle and veiled, others are stark and naked. Some print advertisements harking back to the dark event of May 13, 1969 with "violent" pictures and professionally scripted texts incorporated for impact, created an instantaneous atmosphere of "fear". I believe many of us reacted with a sense of revulsion, I think these advertisements tested the law relating to sedition or incitement to disturb the peace, but the lawkeepers have kept a blind eye.
Effective in the short term to garner votes, I believe, but in the longer term, what gives? What did these creative copy-writers and their sponsors (who must have very deep pockets!) expect to achieve? I wonder if they can still sleep peacefully at night; I pray these "violent" scenes come back to haunt them and their young ones.
Many Chinese voters did succumb, as previously traditionally opposition-inclined swung their support to the Barisan Nasional. These temporary converts' rationale was that "It's better to deal with the devil you know (Umno) than the devil you don't (PAS)!"
The new multi-racial opposition coalition's sales pitch of asking for a chance; to govern, that if they don't deliver, the voters later could throw them out in the first general elections of the new millennium, did not really work. However, I believe Malaysian politics has taken its first step for that quantum leap towards politics that transcends the racial divide. This augurs well for the country's future and can only help in nation building and nurturing an infant democracy like ours.
After the election results, the initial euphoria arising from victory saw the BN celebrating at the national level, minus Kelantan and Terengganu where the PAS-led Barisan Alternatif celebrated on a smaller scale.
But Malaysian politicians, while enjoying the spoils of victory, have better learn that while some "punishment" could be meted out to the "enemy", there is a time and limit to everything. I believe magnanimity in victory is always a virtue.
Yes, the new Terengganu government run by PAS threw out some Umno village headmen previously appointed by Umno, and moved around some state agency personnel on political loyalty grounds. Maybe some federal agency employees on contract were terminated at year's end, which came just one month after the polls.
From what I have read, these "hostile" actions were limited and localised and took place at the early stage of PAS capturing the state from BN. (I stand corrected on this.)
Following that, common sense prevailed and both BA and BN leaders, including the PM, have called for recriminations to stop and that people must put aside their political differences to concentrate on the common task of nation building and economic development.
All well and good, cool heads seemed to have prevailed. The season of "conciliation" seemed to have budded. The stock marker soared; the country emerged from recession, and the "feel good" sentiments among the business community and people climbed. Bigger crowds did make a return to the shopping malls, restaurants and the teh tarik stalls
On March 8, the prime minister moved the nation another mental notch up the millennium scale by announcing his "Strategic Initiative One", the second step to the "Vision 2020" roadmap to make another quantum leap into the Information Age.
Addressing the "Second Global Knowledge Conference" in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir Mohamad said the K-economy master plan to be incorporated at the next budget would invite input from every Malaysian as it must belong to all Malaysians. This plan, which must be lauded by all Malaysians, regardless of their political affiliations, would stress investments in education, "brain gain" and supply of information.
This truly is positive and constructive, coming on the heels of a bruising general elections, and again prepares Malaysians for a borderless world, which would be highly competitive and driven by high technology and a knowledge-empowered workforce.
The PM also stated that the country should do away with the "hallowed sulit (secrecy) syndrome" and killing the "great information hoard" in companies, universities and civil service. Mahathir said: "The private and public sectors will need to operate according to new rules of transparency, new regulations for disclosure, new processes of corporate and public sector governance." (New Straits Times, March 9)
This is tearing away old bastions that government officials have used in the past to hide their inefficiencies, mismanagement and delinquencies (so well chronicled in the annual Auditor-General's report), and giving meaning to the basic tenet of an information age by making information freely available and government actions fully accountable.
"Strategic Initiative One" looks beautiful and ambitious in concept so far. I wait with bated breath come October for the detailed blue-print. Our nation seems to be moving in the right direction. Note that the PM has addressed his impending plan to "all" Malaysians. The "conciliation" season has blossomed further.
However, soon after, the advent of Umno party election descended on us with a bang. Ours must be a unique country where the spoils of a party election victory also translate into the rewards of the top two government posts, nothing less than the PM and DPM ships.
Things that have actually returned to near normalcy were suddenly kicked out of their equilibrium.
Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam started a rumble by terminating the services of panel doctors and lawyers aligned with the opposition, later expanding the hit list with surveyors, contractors and other professionals, and two banks. He wanted to break some individuals' rice-bowl too, calling on the two banks to sack some miscreant employees who dared to openly display opposition party badges, or more.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister got pulled in, and the rumble has now built itself into a thunder, and a whirlwind is beginning to form and may fan across the whole country, if the PM decides to follow through with his threat of emulating the Malacca CEO's example.
An impending by-election in Sanggang did not ameliorate the new climate of warring, which has already claimed its first victim - another state CEO, Pahang MB Adnan Yaakob, trapped by his now infamous "gestures".
Whether pro-BN or pro-BA, all Malaysians are subject to the same scale of income tax, and are equally entitled to government programmes and development funds and must never be subject to form of discrimination. May we remind our political masters, whether in Malacca or in Terengganu, that their reason for being is in the hands of the electorate.
A basic assumption of citizenship is that our loyalty to king and country cannot and must not be questioned by any party. So to the likes of Mohd Ali, I'm sure many fellow Malaysians will join me in chorus: "Cease and desist".
A malaysiakini reader has already coined the phrase, a "Rustamish" witch-hunt. It's not too late for this headline-hogging CM to reverse gear and the coiner, and I too, may be persuaded to be more kind in our penmanship.
State CEOs must not demean their positions with sideshows that detract from the nation building agenda. May the curtains come down quickly on these clownish, but destructive, acts.
"To everything, there's a season; A time to be born, a time to die; A time to kill, a time to heal; A time to tear down, a time to build up..."
View Comments0